Auxiliary closure for windows



July 4, 1950 M. J. NARDULLI AUXILIARY CLOSURE FOR wmnows 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 14, 1947 y 1950 M. J. NARDULLI 2,514,349

AUXILIARY CLOSURE FOR WINDOWS Filed Oct. 14, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 4, 1950 AUXILIARY CLOSURE FOR WINDOWS Michael J. Nardulli, Chicago, 111., assignor to Michael J. Nardulli, Angelo F. Naples, Peter F. Nardulli, and William H. Mozal, or the survivor of them, as trustees, known as Western Engineering Trust Application October 14, 1947, Serial No. 779,802

4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to auxiliary closures particularly adapted to take the form of screens or storm windows for association with double hung windows of the type conventionally used in residence buildings.

tion mounting and ordinary removal or changing of glazed sash or screens of the general character disclosed in such copending application.

Many different types of special auxiliary window closures have been proposed and widely used to aiford what is usually termed combination storm sash and screen installations, but in those constructions of which I am aware, it has been necessary to provide relatively heavy and expensive frames of metal or Wood that are permanently mounted in the locations usually occupied by storm windows, and such frames have had provisions made therein for slidabl or otherwise supporting the individual window panes for ready removal or shifting movement when screens are to be put in place.

In view of the foregoing, it is an important object of the present invention to enable individual storm sash to be readily mounted in or removed from positions corresponding to the relationship of a usual double hung window; to accomplish this in such a way that removal or replacement may be accomplished from the interior of the house and through the open or partially open main closure; to enable this to be done without the necessity for providing the usual frame which has heretofore been mounted permanently in position; to accomplish these purposes through the use of structure which does not objectionably alter or detract from the desired appearance of the building in an architectural sense; to avoid concealment of the outer edges of the usual window frame; and to so mount and relate the storm sash that a single half screen may be readily substituted opposite the usual lower sash for use either with or without an upper half screen or storm sash.

Other and mor specific objects related to the foregoing are to so mount and relate upper and lower removable storm sash that a property owner need not buy new half screens, but may use his old half screens inter-changeably with newly purarrangements; and to enable this to be accomplished in a simpl and economical manner.

Conventional combination storm sash and screen arrangements are arranged for removal and replacement of the sash and screens from the interior of the house, and while this is desirable in installations above the first floor, it is of.- ten desirable on the first floor to remove and replace the elements from the outside of the house. With the conventional arrangements this cannot be done, and it is therefore an additional object to enable one person to change the sash and screen from either the inside or outside of the house. y

Furthermore, in .such conventional installations, the storm windows are spaced outwardly from the main sash in such a way that in summer use it isnecessary to retain the upper storm sash in place in order to render a lower screen effective, and to avoid this undesirable situation, with the attendant need for washing such extra storm sash, is a further object of the invention.

The problem of providing combination storm sash for Oriole or Milwaukee type windows has always been quite troublesome due to the location of the meeting rail above the center ofthe window, and another object of th present invention is to simplify such installations and to enable the storm sash to be provided from a relatively small selection of stock sizes so as to reduce inventory problems and avoid the necessity of making special windows for such installations.

The installation of conventional combination storm sash and screen arrangements is known to represent a considerable amount of work, since the units are quite heavy and must be fitted and chased storm sash to produce the effect or result of the usual combination storm sash and screen calked; and secured in position, and must be-pro- 'vided with weep holes to drain the outwardly sloping window sill. It is therefore another object to eliminate these objectionable features and to enable relatively simple and light sash holding means to'be put in place independently for subsequent insertion of the screens or sash therein. Other and related objects are to afford simple and effective sash holding and guiding means, arranged for quick and easy installation, and adapted to be quickly and easily located for mounting by reference to fixed and well known and stand}- ardized elements of the usual double hung window frame.

Further objects are to so relate the mounting means and the sash that ventilation may be readily effected, and so that the lower sash may be held in a convenient open position during removal of the upper storm sash or screen. I

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment and the principle thereof and what I now consider to be the best mode in'which I have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may bemade as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings: I 7 V Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan sectional View taken through a usual double-hung window installation equipped with the mounting means for supporting the auxiliary closure of the present invention, the section being taken along the line 1- of Fig. 2; e

Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryvertic'al sectional view taken along the line 22 of Fig. l;

v s Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through a pair of storm sash adapted to be put in position in the structure of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the mounting means for\holding the sash;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic inside view of the usual sash and window opening a'ndillustrating the way in which the storm sash are moved into and outof the window; v s e I Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspectivevie'w showing the wayin which the bottom storm sash is moved into or out of its guide means;

Fig. '7 is an inside view showing the location of the lower storm sash during the removal or replacement of the upper sash; I

Fig. 8 is an outside'view of the'upper and lower storm sash in position 'in the mounting means and with the lower sash elevated for purposes of ventilation; V s

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 and showing both storm sash closed;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Figs. sand 9 and showing upper and lower half screens in positign the holding means; and V ,7 Fig. 11 is a fragmentary view'takenalong the line 'i l-ll of Fig. '8 and showing one of the retaining springs.

For purposes of disclosure the invention is herein illustrated as it is incorporated in an 'auxiliary closure means for a conventional doulble-hung window installation20. The convensemi window installation'as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a frame 2| having side stiles or frame members 22 connected at their upper ends by a top frame member 24 and at their bottom ends by an inner sill 25 and an out- ;wardly sloping sill 2B. Along their opposed faces the side frame members 22 each have a pair of parallel vertical sash runways .Z'l'and 28 in which the usual upper and lower sash 29 and 30 are respectively mounted in the conventional way. The sides of the adjacent runways 21 and '28 are in each instance definedby an intermediate vertical strip or parting stop 3|, while the inner side of the inner runway 28 isdefined by an inner stop 32. The outer edge of each outer runway 21 is defined by an outer or blind stop 33, while outside of the blind stop 33 a trim strip 34 is disposed with its edge in the plane oi'the bottoms of the grooves 2! and 28 so as to define an outer groove in which conventional storm windows are usually seated or mounted. This groove is conventionally termed the blind seat. Similarly dis- 4 posed stops 3 IT, 321 and 33T are afiorded along the top frame member to provide grooves at the upper ends of the sash runways to receive the upper ends of the respective sash, while a similar trim strip MT is disposed on the outer side of the stop 33T, as shown in Fig. 2.

The double-hung window construction 28 that has been thus described represents the conventional window construction that is encountered in the vast majority of instances where storm window or combination storm window and screen installations are to be made, and in a large perce'ntage of such instances, it is found that the "owner "already has half screens that are removably mounted opposite the lower sash 30 and in the plane of the blind stop 33 so as to rest on the sloping sill 25 at the lower ends thereof and bear against or be closely spaced with respect to the outer face of the meeting rail 29M of the upper sash 29. The usual combination storm sash and screen installations have required discard of such conventional half-screens, and for this reason have been considered to be objectionable.

Under and in accordance with the present in-.

respective vertical "dimensions correspond gen"- erally with the vertical dimensions of the 'opposed mainsash 29 and 30 so that their meeting rails, 40M and MM, respectively, will be disposed "substantially opposite the meeting rail 29M. In accordance'with the present invention the lower sash MG is disposed opposite the lower sash 30 inth'espace usually occupied bythe conventional half screen,so thatin its horizontal dimension this sash MG is slightly less than the distance between the adjacent edge faces of the blind stops 33, as will be evident in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 wherein the blind stops 33 are shown me. diagrammatic way. With respect, however, to the uppersashdtG, such sash is to be mou'htedo'pposite the upper sash 29 in'the blind seat between the adjacent edge faces of the trim strips 34 and relatively close to the outwardly facing 'sideffafces of the blind stops '33, and the horizontal 'di'inension'of the upper sash 59G is'therefore slightly less than the distance between the adjacent edge faces of the trim strips 34.

As hereinabove pointed out, the lower storm sash llG under the present invention occupies the spacein which the conventional half screen 'is mounted, and the sash MG is therefore relatively thin so as to have a thickness that is slightly less than the thickness of the blind stop 33. 'A similar thickness 'is utilized in the upper storm sash MG, and while the sash 46G and MG may be made in any desired way, I prefer to 'use a glazed sash constructed under and in accordance with the aforesaid Delegard and Nardulli application, since-such sash are stronger and more economical than conventional constructions 'of which I amaware.

MG and G are slidably and removably supported by means mounted respectively on the adjacent edge faces of the trim strips 34 and the adjacent edge faces of the blind stops 33 in the zones or positions occupied by the respective sash MG and MG. Such mounting or retaining mounted on theframe 2|, and such means are separately illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Thus the means for receiving the lower sash MG comprises a pair of sheet metal channel members 5IR and 5IL made from a non-corroding sheet metal such as zinc, bronze or the like. The channels 5| R and 5IL are made of a length substantially equal to the height of the main lower .sash 30, and the lower ends are cut off at an angle so that they may rest firmly against the sloping surface of the sill 26 as shown in Fig. 2.

.The length of the channels 51R and 5IL is such that they extend substantially to the upper edge of the meeting rail 29M, and these channels are put in place on the adjacent edge faces of the blind stops 33 by means such as a plurality of nails 52 extended through the webs of the channels and into the blind stops 33. As will be evident in Figs. 1 and 2, the channels ML and 5IR are so formed that the side walls of the channels are spaced apart slightly less than the thickness of the blind stops 33 and these side walls or flanges are disposed in planes parallel to the planes of the sash 25 and 30. Moreover, the side walls of the channels 5IL and MR are of a height that is about equal to the width of the channel so as to overlap substantial border areas of the sash MG and thereby eliminate the need for precise lateral fitting of the sash.

The upper end of the outer flange of the channel SIG is cut away as at 53 for a distance of three or four inches as will be evident in Figs. 4 and 6 so as to facilitate insertion and removal of the sash MG as will now be described. Thus, the lower main sash 35 is raised to substantially its full extent as shown in Fig. 5, and the storm sash MG is held at an angle as illustrated in dotted outline in Fig. 5 and is moved outwardly through the open lower portion of the window. The sash MG is then positioned as shown in Fig. 6 with the lower right hand edge thereof in the upper portion of the channel 58R. The left hand edge of the sash MG is then moved toward the cut-away portion 53 of the channel 5iL so as to bring this edge of the sash MG into position over and in alignment with the channel 5! L, and the sash is then moved downwardly into such channel.

This downward movement is, however, terminated after the lower edge of the sash 48G has moved an inch or two below the cutaway portion 53, thereby to support the sash 4! G in an open position as shown in Fig. 7 during mounting of the upper sash 46G as will presently be described. This support of the sash MG in an open position is accomplished by a combination spring pressure and latch device 55 that is permanently mounted within the channel 5iR near the upper end thereof. A similar device 56 is mounted in the channel 5IR near the lower end thereof so that the The deand the details are shown in Fig. 11 with respect to the device 56. Thus, the device 56 comprises a leaf spring of elongated rectangular form disposed within the channel 51R. and secured near means for the two sash are extremely simple in structure and are adapted to be readily and easily its lower end to the web of the channel by means such as a rivet 51. The spring extends upwardly and normally bows outwardly away from the web as will be evident in Figs. 7 and 8, so that the upper end of the spring will engage the lower edge of the sash MG as it is moved downwardly in the channels 5IL and 5iR. Thus, the sash MG will first engage the device 55 as it is moved downwardly, and wil1 be supported in a vertical plane in the upper portions of the channels 51L and 5| R as shown in Fig. 7.

When the sash MG is to be lowered, the device 55 or 55 that is effective as a support is bent inwardly at its upper end toward the bottom or web of the channel 5IR, and the sash is moved down past the upper end of such spring device. This spring device then acts laterally against the edge of the sash with a resilient force to hold the sash against rattling and against undesired downward dropping movement.

The upper sash 45G is supported by generally similar mounting and guiding means which comprises a pair of sheet metal channels 50L and 56R. These channels are of the same crosssectional form and size as the channels ML and 5m, and are formed from the same material. The channels 50L and 50R are mounted in the opposite sides of the blind seat on the adjacent edge faces of the trim strips 35 with their inner flanges against the outer side faces of the blind stops 33, and nails 59 extend through the webs of the channels 50L and 55R into the trim strips 34. The upper ends of the channels 50L and 50B engage the lower face of the upper trim strip 34T while the lower ends thereof terminate at substantially the lower edge of the meeting rail 29M, and it Will be observed in Fig. 1, that the edges of the flanges of the channels ESL and 55R are substantially in the plane of the edge faces of the blind stops 33 so thatthe sash 4| G may be moved between these channels 5&1. and 55R in the course of a mounting operation.

The lower portions of the outer flanges of the channels 50R, and 50L are cut away as indicated at 50 in Fig. 4, thereby to simplify the insertion of the upper edge of the sash MIG thereinto. Thus, after mounting of the lower storm sash MG as hereinbefore described, the upper sash 40G is moved out of the open lower portion of the window as shown in Fig. 7, and is then shifted into a vertical plane beneath the lower ends of the channels 50L and 5BR. The sash 45G is then moved upward in these channels until it strikes the upper trim strip 341", and it is held in this position by means such as a spring'device 52 similar to the devices 55 and 56 and secured in the channel 50R in the same manner and relation.

The two sash 43G and 4 IG are, of course, sealed by contact with the several channels and with the strip 3 8T and the sill 26, and at their meeting rails 40M and MM, an eifective seal is afforded by a thin resilient Weatherstrip 55 that is attached by nailing to the inside surface of the meeting rail 40M. This Weatherstrip engages the opposed outer face of the meeting rail 51M, and extends endwise to the edges of the inner flanges of the channels 50R and 50L. Thus, an effective seal is afforded about all edges of the two storm sash.

When the storm sash are to be washed, they can, of course, be easily removed by a reversal of the operations above described, and the washing operations may be performed within the house at any convenient location. In such re- H i'n'oval, and the subsequent replacement, the work is r'elativelyeas'y and simple, primarly because of the light weight 'of the individual sash.

Whenthe storm sash are removed in the spring, they may be replaced by -half screens 'fiiS in the lower -channels 51R and S-IL, and if desired, an upper half screen its may also be mounted in the upper channels 58L and MR, and the mounti-ng'operations are the same as for the storm'sas'n. 'such 'sc'reens may advantageously be constructed as taught in the aforesaid Delegard and Nardulli application. Moreover, the lower half screens MS may be afforded by the previously purchased or old half screens that are usually owned by the householder at the time of installation ofthe-storm sash. This is true even though such 'old half screens are of the kind havin *g'rooved side edges, since such grooves will not interfere in any way with the mounting of such half screens in the channelsSlL and SIR.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the present invention affords an extremely simple and economical storm window construction which not onlyhas all of the ad vantages claimed for conventional combination 'storm sash and screen installations but also avoids the objectionable features of such conventional installations. The storm window of theipresent inve'ntion eliminates the usual per m'anent frame used in combination installations, and the arrangement is such that the archi- =tectural characteristics are not altered by use of 'the present window. Moreover, the present construction isflexible in character so as tosimplify inventory and merchandising practices, and this same flexibility or adaptability enable the installation and upkeep to be accomplished in a siniple and effective manner.

Thus, while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that this is capable'of variation and modification and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to availmyself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following 'claims.

I claim:

1. In a double-hung window structure that includes a conventional frame having inner and outer vertical sash runways along opposite sides thereof, the outer ones of said runways'being defin'ed by vertically extended blind stopsand said --frame'outwardly of said'blihd stops being formed with ablindseat defined along its inner face by said blind stops, and in which inner and outer runwaysconventional lower and upper sash are respectively mounted, the combination of a first pair of elongated guiding and retaining channels on the respective opposing faces of said blind stops-said guiding and retaining channels being extended from the sill of said frame to subtantially the level of the normal meeting rail position of said conventional upper and lowersash, asecond pair of elongatedguiding and retaining channels mounted in said blind seat on opposite sides and in the upper portions of said blind seat and terminated at their lowerends at substantially the level of said normal meeting rail position, a flangeof at least one of said channels of each pair being cut away adjacent said meeting rail position to enable auxiliary sash to be inserted into and removed from the respective pairs of channels.

-2. In =a double hung window structure that -'imcli.1desa'conventional frame having inner and 8 outer vertical sash runways along opposite sides thereof, the outer ones of 'saidrunways'being defined by vertically extended blind stops and said frame outwardly of said blind stops being formed with a blind seat defined along its inner face by said blind stops, and in which inner and outer runways conventional lower and upper sash are respectively mounted, the combination of a first pair "of elongated guiding and "retaining channels on the "respective opposing faces of said blind stops, said *guiding'and retainingchannels being extended from the sill of said frame to substantially the level of the normal meeting rail (position of said conventional upper and lower sash, a second pair of elongated guiding and retaining channels mounted in said blin'dseaton opposite sides and 'in'the upper portions of said blind seat and terminated at their lower ends at substantially the level of said normal meeting rail position, 'a 'rla'n'ge of at least-one of said channels of cludes a conventional frame having inner and outer vertical sash runways along opposite sides thereof, the outer ones of said runways being defined by vertically extended blind stops and said frame outwardly of said blind stops being formed with a'blindseat'defined along its inner face by said blind stops, and in which innerand outer runways conventional lower and upper sash are respectively mounted, the combination of "a first pair of elongated guiding and retaining channels onthe respective opposed faces dfsaid blind stops, said guiding and retaining channels being extended-from the sill of said frametosubstantially the level of the normal meeting rail position of said conventional upper and lower sash, a-sec'ond pair of elongated guiding and retaining'channels mounted in said blind seat and terminated at their lower ends at substantially the levelof said normal meeting rail position, a flange of at least one of said channels of each pair being cut away adjacent said meeting rail position to enable auxiliary sash to be inserted into and removed from the respective pairs of channels, a lower auxiliary sash mounted in said firstpair of channels and of a horizontal dimension just slightly less than the distance between said blind stops, an upper auxiliary sash mounted in said second pair of channels and-of a horizontal dimension that is greater than the distance between said blind stops but which is slightly les than the width ofsaid blind seat, and means acting 'between certain of said channels and said upper and lower auxiliary sash to'hold said auxiliary sash in-position in said channels.

4. In a double hung window structure that includes a conventional frame 'havinginner and outer vertical sash runways along opposite sides thereof, the outerones of said runways being defined by vertically extended blind stops and said frame outwardly of said blind stops being'formed with ablind'seat defined along'its inner face' by said'blindstops-and in which inner and-outer runways conventional lower and upper seen :are

respectively mounted, the combination of a first pair of elongated guiding and retaining channels on the respective opposed surfaces of said blind stops and extended from the sill of said frame to substantially the level of the normal meeting rail position of said conventional upper and lower sash, upper guiding and retaining means disposed in said blind seat entirely within the vertical space opposite the position normally occupied by said upper sash and formed to removably receive and retain an upper auxiliary sash, a lower auxiliary sash mounted in said first pair of channels and of a horizontal dimension just slightly less than the distance between said blind stops, and an upper auxiliary sash mounted in said upper guiding and retaining means and of a horizontal 10 dimension that is greater than the distance between said blind stops but which is slightly less than the width of said blind seat.

MICHAEL J. NARDULLI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS;

Number Name Date 1,259,115 Lunken Mar. 12, 1918 2,324,447 Weedon July 13, 1943 2,365,239 Anderson Dec. 19, 1944 15 2,421,309 Anderson May 27, 1947 

